This invention relates, generally, to portable partitions and, more particularly, to portable insulating partitions positionable along the length of refrigerated truck trailers to partition and insulate the trailers.
To preserve the quality and character of refrigerated goods, such as fresh or frozen food products, during transportation, truck trailers are equipped with refrigeration units or other means for cooling the air in the trailers. If these perishable goods are allowed to warm they can become contaminated with bacteria or mold and be damaged during refreezing. When possible, once the trailer doors are closed, they remain closed until the goods are unloaded, and thus, the trailer's refrigeration system does not work extra to compensate for the loss of cooled air which occurs when the trailer doors are opened. Therefore, when a trailer is fully loaded at a single loading site, then transported to an unloading site where it is fully unloaded, it is usually easy to maintain a sufficiently cool temperature.
Frequently however, a single refrigerated trailer may contain goods which are loaded at separate sites and/or for which are intended to be unloaded at separate sites. If, for example, a single truck is used to deliver refrigerated cargo to a number of purchasers, the typical practice is to load the trailer such that the last load to be delivered is loaded first at the front of the trailer. Succeeding loads can be stacked thereafter in the reverse order in which they are to be delivered. As delivery proceeds, the truck trailer becomes partially emptied. Thus, the refrigeration unit is now cooling the remaining cargo and the empty portion of the trailer as well. Each time the trailer doors are opened and cargo is removed, air cooled by the refrigeration system is lost and warmer air replaces it. The warmer air must then be cooled in order to protect the remaining cargo, thereby increasing transportation costs.
To efficiently maintain the desired temperature, trailers have been provided with movable partitions or bulkheads, which can be repositioned along the length of the trailer. In this manner, the partitions are used to close off portions of the trailers which still retain goods. However, these partitions obstruct and slow the loading process. To minimize obstruction, the partitions have been designed to swing upwardly to a stored position adjacent to the ceiling. This stored position against the ceiling is especially convenient for loading the trailer with a forklift. Other known partitions swing relative to a vertical axis leaving door-like openings between the partitions and the wall. Such door-type partitions are especially suited for loading trailers by hand with dollies. However, no previously available partition is capable of both swinging up to the ceiling and opening like a door.